Sidestory to I Did NOT See That Coming: New Years

I know that this isn't exactly 'Brotherly Love' material, but I did say in the preview that I'd be putting side chapters from my other stories here. I hope you guys enjoy. XD

We couldn’t do a Christmas special because of my doctor’s appointments. So, we decided to try for New Years! I hope you guys like it. XD

It's a little late - we were planning on posting this up earlier - but we slept past noon because we stayed up too late. I hope you guys enjoy! Happy New Years!

Warning: If you’ve read Beatrice’s story and you LIKE it, SPOILERS AHEAD!

3^rd POV

Beatrice smiled as she felt a warm hand encase her own.

It’s New Year’s Eve now – the Western New Year’s, not Lunar like S. Korea celebrates – so that means she and Taemin have successfully made up 6 days ago – on Christmas.

Just thinking back on it already made her blush – it was certainly something she didn’t expect from Taemin.

However, as she looked back up at Taemin’s face, flushed with the cold outside, cheeks as red as an apple, she realized…she couldn’t be more thankful. It certainly confirmed whatever it was they were both feeling, and completely crushed away all insecurities they had with each other as friends.

Within the past few days, she and Taemin have done something they’ve always loved – talk. They played their now classic game ’20 questions’ – yes, they consider it a classic now since they always seem to do that whenever they make up. After a while, their relationship got to where it was before the rift even started.

And after everyone else knew they were now best of friends again, they – meaning Maria and Mikael – started talking about the next big party they were gonna plan: New Year’s Eve.

Now, because S. Korea runs on the lunar calendar when it comes to holidays like New Year’s, Taemin was a bit confused. So Beatrice started telling him about the traditions she, Maria and Mikael has always taken part of since they got to know each other.

Maria was part Filipina, and in the Philippines, they usually served 12 fruits on New Year’s there – each to represent a month of the year. She and Taemin had fun on Taemin’s last day off shopping for fruits when the streets were less busy. It was the first time they were alone for more than 2 hours since Taemin first started ignoring her, and the first time they actually went out since they made up.

Considering Maria had some of the more exotic fruits shipped from the Philippines – like Ubas, Pomelo, Clementines, and Rambutan – they only had to pick out 8 other fruits. They couldn’t pick bananas since it can’t even resemble the shape of a circle – Filipino culture usually have circular fruits during New Years to signify a full circle of life going round and round – they ended up being out longer than they first thought, going through streets after streets to find suitable fruits Maria would like.

It was a hassle since they both know just how picky the younger – and scarier – girl can be, but they still had fun just being together. And after they finally got what they wanted, they went back to the condo the three shared to help with the party décor. Sure the party wasn’t until 3 days from then, but Maria liked to be detailed about certain stuff, and – when faced with her standards – they were now actually BEHIND schedule.

Beatrice and Taemin then talked about how they usually spend New Year’s. Taemin usually spent his like any other day since they don’t celebrate New Year’s here Western style. Beatrice, however, had fun giving him tales upon tales of how Mikael would always buy the best firecrackers to set off on exactly midnight, the best fireworks too, and how after they stuff themselves full of food when all fireworks were done, the noise wouldn’t stop at all since they’d usually put on the Karaoke until it was near sunrise* - Taemin was a bit confused as to why New Year’s was spent this way, but he was actually just thankful no one else lived in their building for now lest they might actually get kicked out for the noise – unlikely anyways, since they were the owners. Of course, they won’t be setting off fireworks this time, but they will be leaving everything they can open, open, coins can now be found everywhere – in the people’s pockets the most – and both Beatrice and Taemin are sporting polka-dotted shirts under their sweaters.

She told Taemin of all the things she’d do on New Year’s, that eventually, Taemin got curious- something he was actually thinking of still now as they held hands under the stars in the balcony – it got just a bit too loud for them inside.

All she told him were about what SHE was doing – especially obvious when counting down the remaining time of the year. Considering she and M&M’s – his new nickname for Maria and Mikael – were near attached to the hip, it was confusing that she never mentioned being near the two when the clock the beginning of a new year.

Tilting his frozen face – it was cold out and the snow wasn’t helping – towards Beatrice, he lightly squeezed his hands around hers tighter to get her attention.

“Yeah?” She sighed, her eyes closed, her face pointing to the sky – she’s always loved feeling the winter air on her face.

“You told me earlier about what you guy usually do during New Year’s.”

“Yeah?”

“Why do you always make it seem as if you’re never around M&M’s?”

Lightly flustered – she didn’t really want to discuss the answer to that being alone with him – she just chuckled out, “M&M’s**?”

“New nickname for Maria and Mikael – seems to suit them, don’t you think?” He smiled, chuckling to himself.

“I guess,” Bea giggled – it made sense. The fact that they both liked the candy just made it funnier too.

“Anyways,” Taemin continued. “In your stories, you always described it as if you were trying to avoid them when the clock hit twelve – why?” The three were closer than a conjoined twin. It didn’t really make sense to him as to why they’re not together on such a big holiday.

Dang it…Bea thought. Thought I had him distracted. She sighed.

“Because…” She blushed – a fact hidden with how red her cheeks already were from the cold.

“Because?”

“There’s another tradition they like to participate in on New Year’s. One I don’t think I’ve told you about just yet.” She blushed further.

“What is it?”

She sighed before looking back inside – the scenery of Taemin’s members, Jae Young, Hee Kyung, M&M, and the rest completely visible with all the bright lights with noise practically vibrating through the walls and out the open door to the balcony.

“There are two official couples I live with and one un-official.” Bea started. “You can probably guess that it gets quite uncomfortable for those that aren’t with someone.”

“Yeah…so?”

“Well,” Bea rolled her eyes. “On New Year’s, on the exact of midnight, it’s a tradition for our little group now to kiss that special someone.” She explained, looking away – she and her fire-engine red face refused to see his right now. “I’m not exactly that comfortable seeing couples kiss when I’m dubbed as the ‘forever alone’ out of our bunch, so I tend to stray from them before midnight.”

“Well…” Taemin started to think. “Does it have to be a special someone?”

Beatrice blinked her eyes, taken aback by the question before shaking her head. “No, the usual tradition before Maria and Mikael got together was to kiss the nearest person you liked when the clock 12. But since it caused some troubles and misunderstandings, it was replaced with ‘a kiss for someone special’.”

Taemin just nodded before looking into the sky again, letting the comforting silence take over again.

Beatrice, on the other hand, was flustered. However, before her thoughts strayed too far from herself, Taemin’s voice popped up again, distracting her.

“How much time left till midnight?”

She looked at her watch before smiling, her hand holding his getting tighter when she felt her excitement pick up. “25 seconds…”

“Want to countdown?” Taemin smiled, turning her around to face him, bringing his other hand up to cup her near freezing cheeks – chuckling slightly when they got even redder with his touch.

“S-sure…” She stuttered into the silence, flushing deeply.

“10…9…8…” Taemin lowered his hands from her cheek this time, putting it behind her neck to pull her closer…

”6…5…” he couldn’t help but smile as he lowered his forehead to hers, their breathe now meeting…

”3…2…”

Beatrice never got to say ‘one’…

Nor was she able to hear any peace and quiet when the rest of the night(?) was spent with everyone in the house teasing her and her now tomato red face.

Didn’t exactly help that the guy who caused it just kept making it worse by smiling just a bit too lovingly at her when she looked at him for help.

*In the Philippines, on New Year’s people would blow fireworks – the louder the better – and create noise all night to celebrate the upcoming year. It’s a belief that if you do that, you’d be getting rid of all the ‘bad spirits’ that have gathered in your house during the course of the year and to bring the ‘good spirits’ in for good luck.

AN: OK…have no idea where that came from since I KNOW I had something else planned for this.

I hope you guys liked it though! XD

This chapter won’t be in the actual story though, so you guys can treat is as a BTS special for ‘I did NOT see that coming’.

Siblings-Curse